upcycled fabric handbags of the past

It was almost three years ago that a new friend at church approached me and told me that she heard that I sewed and "would I like some fabric"? She was an Interior Decorator with a large high-end furniture showroom. I had no idea that there were these fantastic fabrics out there being thrown away.

The very first bag I made from the fabrics

A briefcase sized bag that a facial spa owner bought specifically because the fabric was upcycled.

One of my favorite bags
A dress ordered from a dear friend for one of her daughters.
Reminds me of an uptown biker bag
My own design of a tea pot cozy. The ribbons at the sides untie and the cozy opens all the way down to the black band at the bottom for easy refilling of the tea. There are open sides for the handle and spout of the pot.
"I'm a little teapot short and stout....." Sing it with me. :o)

Another favorite bag. I love this design. I had been using one main design for my bags for about a year before I wanted some mixture to the fabrics. I put upcycled blue leather on the bottom too. I love using the leathers. I have a pile that I have been hoarding. :o)
I have some medium pieces a little larger than the pockets on the briefcase sized bag and also some that are very tiny that I am handpiecing for a leather patchwork bag that I will put in my shop when it is done.

Thanks for wandering with me down memory lane with some of my very first tries at upcycled fabrics becoming handbags to some of my favorite handbags.

I love looking at a piece of fabric and asking it "what do you want to be"? :o)

Lori